Recent content by Smiley007

Coaches know how much our boys train (and how much parents invest!) and wish so much that they could give every gymnast they recruit a full-ride but unfortunately it is not reality. While there is not a lot of scholarship money to go around, some schools try to help gymnasts find other ways...

Thanks, Gymdog! I will check it out!

Our coaches wish the mats/floor by some of our beams/bars could be replaced with resi-pits to ease the landing on dismounts, but it is not possible. They also wish they could replace part of the foam pit with a resi-pit, but it can't be done. Tumbl Trak has a large 6'x8'x12" pit pillow we are...

How often do your DS or DD watch gymnastics online? I wonder if there is a correlation between gymnasts who are committed and working toward gymnastics scholarships and gymnasts who constantly watch gymnastics online (for entertainment, inspiration and improvement).

Sorry I am kind of late to the discussion, but I think USAG will transition to the new age group (if it passes) in a way that will accommodate for those turning 19 by May 31. More info should be coming in the spring according to our regional director. I know they are getting input from the...

OK thanks for your comment. We plan to buy the spotting belts for the coaches. When we showed them a video of it, they totally loved the idea. Is your retracting platform one single platform or a smaller platform on each side of the bar? Our booster club is not a 501c3 so we should be ok.

Does anyone have this type of dual-spotting platform over their pit? http://www.gibsonathletic.com/gibson-spotting-platform-br-00900 or this one https://www.american-gymnast.com/shop/artistic-gymnastics/equipment/uneven-bars/uneven-bar-accessories/spotting-platform/ The gap in the platform...

Gymnastics, boys or girls, is quite time consuming. Our gym almost doubles the practice time between boys levels 4 and 5. On the other hand, there may be less gymnasts in his age group that he has to compete against. If he is talented and doesn't need as much practice time, he could still do...

Thanks for all of the info! One of the coaches I talked to (a coach not on the girls team, but on the boys team) shared with me "it's important to push - but not to rush". Even though there hasn't been a girl who hasn't repeated level 9 yet, I think it could change for our gym as they continue...

Wow - thank you everyone for your replies! My DD will do double back on bars, and if she can get her shootover, she will alternate doing that and the double back in meets since you apparently can't do both. Coach has her doing a Tsuk layout on vault, and back tuck &...

Thank you everyone for all of your replies! It is really helpful and encourages me to look into getting more resources for our gym. We will look at getting some spotting blocks for the girls to simulate a type of channel. We are working with tumbltrak.com to see if their flex bar will work...

How much of a disadvantage for an optional gymnast is being at a gym where they aren't able to put in a channel bar, nor a tramp bar. I notice our gym's weakest event is bars in the optional level. They are in the earlier stages of developing their optional program with only 1 gymnast reaching...

Thank you everyone for your replies. We are sticking with level 8 and will incorporate as many level 9 skills as possible.

My 13 yr. old DD decided she wanted to try for a D1 scholarship after competing her first year in L7 this past spring. Her education is more important than gymnastics so while she wants to excel at both, she will be fine if she doesn't hit her gymnastics goal. She knows all of her L8 skills and...